


Another Octave

by Imbrication



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Abuse, Additional Warnings Apply, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, M/M, Multi, Past Child Abuse, trigger warning
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-12-29
Updated: 2014-08-28
Packaged: 2018-01-06 14:13:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1107821
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Imbrication/pseuds/Imbrication
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eren has been singing since he was young, yet even though everyone around him thinks he should pursue a career in singing, he refuses because of the fear of being criticized. When Levi some how becomes his vocal coach, both of their lives take an unexpected turn, and the more time they spend together, the closer they get.<br/>(Rated M for later occurrences)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first fan fiction I've ever written, so I'm sorry if its bad :|  
> Well I hope you enjoy, and if it turns out alright, ill continue.  
> [Rolls Away]

\--Eren--

 _Oh misty eye of the mountain below_  
 _Keep careful watch of my brother’s souls_  
 _And should the sky be filled with fire and smoke_  
 _Keep watching over Durin’s son_  
The scalding water hit Eren’s back, turning the raw skin a soft, irritated red. White soap puddled on the tiles below him, disappearing down the drain.  
 _If this is to end in fire_  
 _Then we shall all burn together_  
 _Watch the flames climb high into the night_  
 _Calling out father, stand by and we will_  
 _Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side_  
Eren had been singing since he was about seven. He was an extremely gifted singer, being able to hit high and low notes, and sing to a various amount of genres. Even though he had no shame singing in front of crowds and friends (he participated in many competitions, winning them all) he refused to see a vocal coach. He was afraid he’d be criticised too the point that singing was no longer a hobby, it was a job.

_And if we should die tonight_  
 _Then we should all die together_  
 _Raise a glass of wine for the last time_  
 _Calling out father, prepare as we will_  
 _Watch the flames burn auburn on the mountain side_  
 _Desolation comes upon the sky_  
 _Now I see fire, inside the mountain_  
 _I see fire, burning the trees_  
 _And I see fire, hollowing souls_  
 _I see fire, blood in the breeze_  
 _And I hope that you'll remember me_  
Unfortunately, as much as Eren didn’t want to leave his calming shower, he would be late for school if he didn’t. He turned off the water, sighing, and wrapped himself in a soft towel. He stepped out of his small haven, into the cold world that was constantly breathing ice down his neck.

“I thought you’d never get down here” Mikasa chided as Eren ran down the stairs.  
Eren rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Can we go now?”  
“Yeah, Armin’s waiting outside. By the way what song were you singing earlier? It sounded good.”  
Eren couldn’t help the blush that crept up his neck and into his ears. No matter how many times he was complimented on his voice, he always felt a bit embarrassed.  
“U-um it was called ‘I See Fire’ by Ed Sheeran…” He trailed off, scratching the back of his neck as if trying to scrape off the tint of red his skin held.  
Mikasa laughed at his awkward gesture, and turned to leave.  
“Get a vocal coach, damn it”.  
 _She always says this. Always._ Instead of snapping back like he normally would, Eren nods and follows her out the door.  
Because maybe, just _maybe_ , Eren was considering the idea for once.

The hallways at school were always unwelcoming and crowded. Groups of friends huddled in front of lockers, everyone looking at their phones, couples kissing and hugging. Eren never questioned his sexuality, because honestly, he was too busy to think about which gender he preferred, if he even had a preference. He just stayed out of relationships, period. That was one of the problems Eren had. If he didn’t have to think about something, he wouldn’t. He learned to shut people out. After his mother had died in a freak plane crash, his life had flipped upside down. His father was never home, and when he was, he was either drowning himself in alcohol, or beating Eren; verbally, and physically. Armin, being Eren’s best friend, knew everything about him and his childhood. Armin was a brother to Mikasa and Eren. In fact, the whole Arlert family had helped them through a lot. Eren’s father disappeared when they were 8, and the Artlert’s took them in and provided for them until they were 18 and were able to buy their own townhouse. Mikasa had a stable job at a hair and makeup salon, and made enough money to pay the bills and buy food. While Eren had insisted to get a job to help Mikasa out, she insisted he focus on school and singing. Lately, life was easy going, but it was about to take an unpredicted twist, and no one could have prepared Eren for what was to come.  


\--Levi--

This always happened. Tone deaf teenagers think they can sing, and instead of parents pushing them onto a better career track, they take the kid to see a fucking professional as if they will magically become as good as Beyoncé or some shit. Yes, a vocal coach can help you sing better, but no, they aren't miracle workers, and they can’t help a screaming child sound like an angel. His current client was the perfect example.  
“How was that, Levi? Too good for you I guess since you took your headphones off”  
Levi puts his fingers on the bridge of his nose, and sighs.  
 _Are you actually fucking serious? She thought that was good._ He looks up, something as angry as fire glazing his eyes. “Yeah that was _great_ ” Sarcasm smoothly laces his voice.  
Levi continues; “Have you ever thought of trying something other than singing? Uh. Drawing. Writing. Dancing? Please. _Anything_ .”  
She nods, and steps away from the microphone, and out of the sound booth.  
“I have, but singing is my passion. I always get compliments on my voice”  
 _They always say that. Always._  
Every single client lately has been cocky, obnoxious, and also seem to have extremely protective parents. God damn it why can’t they just understand that not everyone is born to sing. Just because your kid puts “I love music” in their Facebook bio doesn’t mean you give them a career in music. They have to have talent. They have to work. As always, Levi must now go talk to the parents, and try as hard as he can to let them down lightly, and avoid future appointments.  
“I’ll be right back; I just need to talk to your parents. Stay here and don’t- He pauses and lets out a frustrated sigh “don’t touch anything, okay?”  
He turns and leaves, but before he closes the door, he hears a crash from inside the studio.  
“Shit!”  
 _Shit indeed._

Levi sits at his desk, and glances at the clock. 12:45. Sighing, he closes his laptop, lays his headphones neatly on his lap, and rubs his temples.  
 _“What I wouldn’t give to have a student who can actually sing”_  
Levi is one of the most successful vocal coaches. That’s why he gets all the bad students. He was Erwin Smith’s vocal coach; Levi found him and made him famous. Same thing happened with Petra Ral. They had the talent, they did the work, and they got what they deserved. Levi feels defeated and can only wonder what went wrong. He used to train with so many talented artists, and he missed hearing a voice that could send chills down his spine. A voice that he could train and develop until it became almost like his own. He hears three firm knocks on the door, and without further invitation, Hanji steps in.  
“Levi! Why are you still here? You should’ve gone home long ago”  
She walks up to the edge of his desk, and sits down. Levi is obviously irritated, even though he’s good at hiding his emotions, people that are close to him can tell how he feels just by looking at his body language. Slouched in his chair, hair out of place, lips slightly parted to occasionally let out a sigh, Hanji knows she needs to try and lighten the mood.  
“Levi-Wevi is troubled!” She laughs and pinches his cheek lightly.  
Levi reaches up and lazily swats her hand away.  
“Why do I have to get all the shitty students?” His voice is low and sounds forced.  
“I wish I knew Levi”. Hanji says, sympathetically placing a hand on his shoulder. After realizing Levi wasn’t going to make an effort to continue the conversation, she spoke to relieve the tension in the now moonlit studio.  
“By the way, what did that girl break today? I heard that crash from downstairs”  
Levi’s eyebrows furrow, as if it’s painful to talk about. Being the clean freak that he is, it probably was.  
“The fucking plant” He cradles his head in his hands.  
“It was a bitch to clean up too” and Hanji can’t help but let out a small, breathy chuckle.  
They sit in a comfortable silence until Hanji suddenly begins screaming enthusiastically, nearly slapping Levi in the face as her hand springs off his shoulder.  
“What the fuck Hanji!” Levi yells, startled. His head is pounding; he doesn’t need this right now.  
She seems unfazed by the harsh tone of his voice.  
“What if you held a competition? I bet a lot of people would want to work with you! They can post an audition video on like - YouTube or something, and you get to choose the winner, and work with them! It’s a win-win situation Levi!” She’s standing up, and practically bouncing now. Her glasses are almost slipping off her nose, and she has the scariest expression on her face. Even though he’s annoyed and has the biggest fucking migraine, Levi’s impressed. It’s not a bad idea, after all, he gets to choose the person he thinks he has the most talent, and doesn’t have to deal with butt hurt parents.  
“That’s…not a bad idea, four-eyes. Good job. But I’m not going through the trouble to post the details of this, that’s a fuckload of work, so as my secretary, you’re going to.”  
Happy to do so, she bounds out of the room, and Levi is left alone in the dark. He gets out of his desk chair, and slowly walks to the large glass door that covers nearly the entire back wall. Stepping out, onto the balcony, cigarette in hand, city lights twinkling and the sky streaked with hues of purple and navy blue, Levi could almost describe it as calming.  
 _Maybe, just maybe, this’ll work out._


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren has a dream. Armin and Mikasa secretly enter him in Levi's singing competition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided to continue! Sorry for how long it took to update, school has been keeping me so busy! :( Well anyways, enjoy!  
> *The songs I used in this chapter are Sound the Bugel by Bryan Adams, and Sweater Weather by The Neighborhood*

\--Eren- -

The room is a soft gray today, as if a layer of chalk had been smeared across the walls, painting everything in a delicate innocence. I lay on my bed, headphones on my ears, just listening to the sound of my quiet music, and the loud summer rain outside. If I were to describe what I was feeling today, the perfect word would be simply, numb. Even though my feet are swaddled in socks they are frozen, as if my blood had turned to ice. My fingertips are as delicate and raw as the cold deluge outside itself. I loved every bit of it. I loved that my hair was splayed across the pillow under my head, and I loved the baggy sweatpants and black tank top that were wrapped around my body. The feeling of a calm atmosphere was something I wasn’t used to, but today, it just felt _right_. I can feel my eyes beginning to close, and for once I think I may go to sleep happily. I roll over onto my side, and I slowly feel my body falling into a voluntary coma. My breathing slows, and I am calm. I can rest my overworked brain, and maybe when I wake up, I’ll be happy for a while.

 

” _Levi! Levi, please. Please don’t leave me. Don’t take him, please!”_

_Tears are rolling down my swollen cheeks, I can barely breathe. Are my ribs broken? I think my lungs collapsed. It’s windy and cold, and the gray grass is stained with red. I search for something, anything to stop the bleeding. I rip my green cloak of my back, and press it onto his stomach. I will not let him die, no way in fucking hell I will let him die._

_“Levi. Levi hang on. I’ll make it stop Levi I promise please, just please, hold on.”_

_Levi is on my lap, and oh god the bleeding wont stop. Fuck why wont the bleeding stop. He holds on to my arms. Humanity’s strongest soldier, the fearless man who saved so many, is afraid to die. Tears are streaming down his face and neck, or do they belong to me too? I press the cloak into him harder, trying to supress the bleeding. Trying to save my lovers life. He coughs. More blood. How can there be more blood?_

_“E-Ere-n..” His voice is broken, full of agony, and it makes my tears flow harder._

_“W-why did you jump in front of me Levi...Levi why did you..s-save me?”_

_His hand reaches up and weakly traced my jawline, making its way up to wipe the droplets from my eyes. He is silent, and he manages to smile. He’s fucking smiling and I don’t know what to do. I’m about to lose him, the thick green fabric is soaked in crimson. I’m about to lose him. Oh fucking hell I’m about to lose him._

_“I love you. I’ll find you Eren, in another life I will. Please. Stay with me until-“_

_I cut him off. “Levi you’re not going to die, backup is on its way please Levi hang on.”_

_“Eren. Can I ask you for a favor?”_

_I’m still in shock. I can’t even remember what happened, it’s a blur. My throat is so sore from screaming, it feels like its torn and I can taste the blood. I stay silent and nod, looking into his eyes, his once stone blue eyes that are beginning to glaze over._

_“Sing”._

_I stare at him. Was he crazy? He wants me to sing, right now, on the battlefield? Sure, there’s no titans around, but he’s about to die. Why the fuck would I waste my time singing when I could be saving him? Levi breaks my train of thought; he fights his hand into my hair, and opens his mouth._

_“Eren. You always overthink. Please. Just sing. I want to hear you sing.”_

_The look in his eyes makes my ribs hurt even more. My body burns like wildfire, and I decide that if he wants me to sing, I will._

_I open my mouth, sobs wracking my body. Oh god please, please save him._

_“Sound the bugle now, play it just for me. As the seasons change - remember how I used to be. Now I can't go on - I can't even start. I've got nothing left - just an empty heart. I'm a soldier - wounded so I must give up the fight. There's nothing more for me - lead me away...Or leave me lying here”_

_I hadn’t even noticed the black clouds that had rolled in above me, and how it was pouring rain. I looked down at my lap, and I knew immediately, that Levi was gone. His eyes were closed, a peaceful smile on his face. His grip on my arm is gone, all that’s left is the cold feeling on my lap, and the dead feeling in my heart. He saved me. He saved me._

_And I couldn’t save him._

I wake up to the feeling of being shaken. My eyes burst open, and I gasp for air. What’s going on? For fucks sake what is going on? Mikasa is standing over me, her face pale, a worried expression tainting her muscles.

“Eren! What happened?” her voice shakes. What was I doing? I sit up, my throat feels raw.

“I was actually hoping you would tell me” I shake the remaining feeling of sleep from my body.

“You were screaming and crying. You started thrashing around and cussing. You were talking about someone named Levi. Who’s Levi, Eren?”

I look up at her. I suddenly remember my dream, and a surprisingly familiar pain floods my body. Why do I feel this way about someone in a night terror? I decide to explain my dream, and she nearly brushes it off, saying it was a really weird dream to have, and she’s just happy I’m alright. To lighten the mood, we both mutually agree to invite Armin over and all go out for coffee and the small café across the street. We get ready, and step out into the rainy weather, and I push my dream into the back of my mind.

For now.

 

                After awkwardly ordering from the lady behind the counter at the _Colossal Café_ , we sit down in our usual seats, by the window in the corner. We keep a light hearted conversation, until Mikasa and Armin decide to bring up my singing career, _again_. I always dreaded the moment they brought the topic up, because I knew they were right, and it hurt to always end up arguing. I knew it would help Mikasa pay for our apartment, but I didn’t want fame, and I didn’t want criticism. Why couldn’t I just get a normal job? Just because I have talent, doesn’t mean it’s not my choice if I want to use it or not. Not all dancers get professional dancing jobs, and not all artists get a job painting pictures all day. Plus we don’t even have the money to pay for a vocal coach. But they continued to nag me anyways.

“So, Eren, we found a contest online..” Armin starts, and reaches into his black messenger bag to pull out his Macbook Pro.  I’m already uninterested, and swirl my coffee around in my cup. He turns the laptop towards me, and I nearly knock my drink off the table.

“Survey Corps Music?! Do you even know how expensive it would be for me to even attend one session?!”  I refuse to be the reason why we lost our apartment and Mikasa has to work even later then she already does.

“That’s the thing…If you post an audition video and you get chosen, one of the vocal coaches there will give you your sessions for free!” Armin has that smug smile on his face again, as if he knew he cornered me and that all the things holding me back had been eliminated. Except one.

“They’re the strictest coaches around, Armin. They’ll criticise me so much, I won’t even sound like myself anymore. Plus, if I get famous or something, dad might be able to find us again..” I directly aim the last comment at Mikasa. She knows how bad it got. She was the one to tend to my bleeding body, and purple bruises. She looks down, and murmurs something about how it would be for the best, and that I should enter, no matter what. Why do I not get a decision in this? It’s my career future; it should be my choice, shouldn’t it?

                I close Armin’s laptop, apologize sincerely, and decline the offer, once again. There’s so much on my mind now. Should I enter? What if Dad finds us? Why am I having strong feelings about the dream I had earlier today? I ask if we can leave, and they hesitantly agree, and we leave the warm shop. I walk ahead of them a little bit, and I can hear them whispering about something, but there’s too much on my mind to care. I tuck my nose into my scarf, shove my hands in my pocket, and look at my feet and the puddles in the gutter until we reach the apartment.

\--Mikasa- -

Eren reached the apartment a few minutes before us, and I immediately knew where he was headed once he stepped inside. He was going to take a shower, like he always did when he was angry or frustrated. It was his only personal time, and no one ever dared to interrupt. I invited Armin inside, and we talked in hushed tones about what we should do.

“Why don’t _we_ just enter him? It’s obvious he wants to, his excuses are dry. He’d have body guards to protect him from his father and anyone else who would dare to touch him.” Armin seemed frustrated, and he would obviously not drop the topic until Eren enters the competition. I think about it for a minute, and Armin helps convince me. We talk for a few minutes, and come up with a plan. We'll film him singing in the shower from outside the door, and then post it as an audition video. Sure, you wouldn’t be able to see his face, but his voice should be convincing enough. We grab a small, handheld camera and quietly make our way up to the bathroom. Once we sneak into Eren’s room, and up to his bathroom door, we turn on the camera, and wait for him to start singing. Soon enough, we can hear Eren’s voice, quietly humming at first, and then bursting into lyrics, smoothy, calmly, it’s angelic.

_All I am is a man_

_I want the world in my hands_

_I hate the beach_

_But I stand_

_In California with my toes in the sand_

_Use the sleeves of my sweater_

_Let's have an adventure_

_Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered_

_Touch my neck and I'll touch yours_

_You in those little high-waisted shorts, oh_

_She knows what I think about_

_And what I think about_

_One love, two mouths_

_One love, one house_

_No shirt, no blouse_

_Just us, you find out_

_Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about, no_

_'Cause it's too cold_

_For you here and now_

_So let me hold_

_Both your hands in the holes of my sweater_

He keeps singing, and even through a bathroom door, it sounds amazing. I’m getting chills down my spine. I’m sure Armin is too, the look of pure awe on his face isn’t surprising. We don’t even realize he’s finished taking a shower, and we snap back to reality when the bathroom door begins to creak open. Armin and I run as fast as we can, laughing like idiots out of the room. Because there is no way in hell Eren is losing this competition.

 

\--Levi- -

I’ve spent all day looking at the audition tapes, and so far, I’ve heard a few voices that I can work with. A girl named Annie, some guy named Reiner was actually a very talented rap star in the making, and Berthold didn’t have a bad voice. I’d just have to settle for one of the voices, and train them somewhat   like a dog. The contest ends at midnight, and its 11:52. Finally, no more videos of annoying teenagers (for the most part) were being sent to my email every few seconds. The contest had turned out to be a huge hit in the end, and Hanji was very excited to meet the next new client. No more audition tapes had been sent in for the past hour, I was quite happy to sit back in my chair, and wait until the contest was over. Suddenly, a familiar sound echoed through his office. I had just gotten an email. Praying to myself that it wasn’t a last minute audition, I opened the email, and to my demise, it was just what I had thought. I’d made a promise to watch all the auditions, no matter how bad, but I really did not have the strength to watch another. It was 11:56 now, and it was probably just another hipster singing Lana Del Ray. Just as I was about to delete the email, Hanji burst in through the door, and when she saw the email on my computers screen, she practically begged me to watch it.

“Levi, please! What if it’s beautiful and the best voice you’ve ever heard. Don’t take chances!”

“The thumbnail is a door you shit glasses. Obviously it’s going to suck.”

“Maybe their camera shy, Levi! Now just give me the mouse-“

“Fuck off. Its midnight anyway. Contest is closed.”

After fighting over the mouse for a few minutes, my finger slips and clicks the video.

“Shit” I cradle my head in my hands, waiting for the annoying voice of some kid to come crashing through the black speakers.

Instead, I hear the soft sound of water hitting tile. A shower? Was this kid taking a fucking shower? This isn’t a proper audition video-

The sound of singing makes me stop thinking for a second. Holy shit. This kid can _sing_. I catch my mouth falling open in pure bliss. Hanji is staring at the screen, pupils blown out, nearly drooling. Such a dog. But I cannot concentrate on anything else, as I turn up to volume to hear him better. Suddenly, a chill runs down my spine. My thighs shiver, and I have to cover my mouth with my hands. Finally. I’d been looking for a voice like this for so long…

It seems so familiar, as if I had heard it a long time ago.

I hadn’t even realized he had stopped singing and the video had cut off. Suddenly, in white font, a name came appeared, including contact information.

Hanji didn’t even have to ask who to announce as winner because it was so painfully obvious. She patted me on the back, and told me that she would email him in the morning. She closes the studio door quietly, and leaves me alone in the dark room.  I think I replayed the video at least ten times, just listening to, and feeling his voice. It was so familiar, I swear, I swear I’ve heard it somewhere. Even his name feels like it once belonged on my lips. It’s embarrassing, but I may even feel a tad _excited_ for once.

I can’t wait to meet you, _Eren Jaeger._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for the comments and bookmarks! Once again, I am SO sorry about how long it took to update! I'll try to update more frequently. Please leave any feedback :) Sorry for any typos, if you find any, please bring them to my attention so i can fix them, thank you~!  
> <3


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren finds out about Armin and Mikasa's 'secret'
> 
>  
> 
> \--“Jean. Stop spouting bullshit from your mouth for like two fucking seconds and tell me why I’m suddenly the only thing the whole school is talking about.” --

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **The link used in this chapter is not a real link **

_“Eren”_

_I fit my head on his shoulder, and we click like puzzle pieces. I can barely see the smirk on his face, it’s ethereal, but it’s warm and it’s there. Our feet are hanging off the edge of the enormous tree branch we’re sitting on. All we can see are tree tops, mountains, the gorgeous sky, and each other. I pull him closer, wanting to embrace more of him. He’s mine, all mine, and nothing will take him away from me. Levi’s cloak is draped around both of our shoulders, the green, soft fabric pooling around us, giving us warmth while the soft breeze plays with our hair._

_“Being isolated from the world feels right with you, Levi”_

_I feel him shift his position, and almost startled, I look up and meet his eyes. His emotions act so dead but his eyes are teeming with life, like the ocean and its undiscovered depths. He puts a hand gently under my chin, and I can feel my cheeks flushing a soft pink when he begins to lean in, closing his eyes. On instinct, I begin to close mine too, and wait for his lips to meet mine. But when they never do, I open my eyes once more to see him smiling. He looks at me, and I feel as If he’s looking directly into my soul. I can feel his breath on my nose, and it smells fresh. Time seems to stop, and it feels like we’re floating, high up into the beautiful sky above us. The wind isn’t blowing anymore, and I feel like I’m in a photograph.  It seems like forever until he finally speaks, breaking the blissful silence that had held us captive._

_“You, Eren, are my wings of freedom”._

_And with that, he pulls me in for the long awaited, passionate kiss that I had been craving. I follow his lips with mine, his hand finds itself tangled in my hair, and I’m tracing my fingertips along his jaw and behind his ear, mapping every dip and line. He pulls away to breathe, and time resumes. He takes my hands in his, and as I look up to smile, I see a single tear run down his face._

_“And you, Eren, you are my last hope”._

\--Eren --

I awake that morning to the sound of my annoying alarm clock. I stare at my ceiling for what feels like an eternity before I actually summon the will and strength to leave my little haven, otherwise known as my bed.  I follow my regular morning routine, not even trying to be quiet because Mikasa is definitely already awake.  There’s only a week of school left exactly, and it’s only a Monday. That gives me a good week to say all my farewells, and finally be able to ditch school and just hang out at the park with Armin and Mikasa, drinking slushies under the beating sun. As I make my way down stairs, I tell myself I only have to hold out for a little while longer, until I’m free to do whatever I want. When I reach the bottom stair, I can already smell the breakfast Mikasa made for me. The apartment we live in is a little small, but it still has a lot of windows and it just feels like home. The kitchen is brightly lit with hues of pink and yellow, the sunrise has always looked beautiful on these walls. After a few minutes of small talk and eating our food, we brush our teeth, and head out the door.

Just a few more weeks until I’m free, or so I thought.

The second I walk into the dimly lit school, I’m surrounded by screaming girls that I’ve never even talked to before. Even though the city we live in is isolated and small, there are obviously a lot of people going to this sad excuse for a school, because I swear I can’t even see the end of the long hallway that stretches around the campus. Holy shit, what did I do?  Mikasa and Armin seem unfazed as they wish me luck and run through the crowd, leaving me alone and a little scared. I can hear them laughing as I yell for them, but they don’t turn back. They did something, it’s so painfully obvious. As I try to push past all the commotion, guys I’ve never talked to or even seen are patting me on the back and high fiving me, saying congratulations. I feel like I’ve won the Olympic gold medal for being a useless member of society, or something like that. When the morning bell rings for classes to begin, the crowd disappears just as fast as it appeared. Thank God. The rest of the day was regular, even though all my class mates and teachers wouldn’t stop talking to and congratulating me. That afternoon when classes were over, the crowd reappears and follow me around to my locker, and I swear they’re going to follow me home too if I don’t make an escape.  I walk around the hallways and slip into the guy’s bathroom.  Just as I manage to ditch the riot, I hear a familiar voice that makes me cringe.

“Holy fuck Jaeger, even I didn’t know that many girls went to our school. Congratulations you vertically challenged boy”. He reaches a hand out to ruffle my hair, and I nearly growl at him. He pulls away and laughs. Even though I hate Jean and his stupid horse face, he’s my only hope in figuring out what the hell happened, and why I suddenly became the sex-bomb of the entire school.

“So..uh, Jean…” I start, but he cuts me off.

“I’m not doing you any ‘favors’ you dog. Just because everyone else loves you doesn’t mean I do”.

“Jean-fuck- no. You obviously know what’s going on and I just want to ask you _why_ everyone suddenly wants to follow me home?”

The look on Jeans face makes me feel stupid. Then again, I really am.

“Wait…you actually don’t know? Holy shit you really are clueless. Like a new level of clueless. Absolutely idiotic-“ I decide to shut him up so he can’t trash my IQ anymore. The fucking horse thinks he’s any smarter.

“Jean. Stop spouting bullshit from your mouth for like two fucking seconds and tell me why I’m suddenly the only thing the whole school is talking about.”

His mouth hangs open for a few seconds, and I’m starting to get extremely impatient. Finally, he decides to speak.

“Alright, fine. You won that stupid singing competition. You know the Survey Corps music thing? Yeah everyone saw the video and thinks you were really good. But don’t get too cocky; I haven’t watched it so you can stop thinking of all those dumb ass comments. And didn’t you get an email or some shit? God check your phone more often.”

Wait. I didn’t enter the competition. I swear I would’ve remembered sending an audition video?

I left my phone at home, so there’s no way to find out for sure. Then I remember…

“Jean, you have a laptop in your bag, right?” I’m so desperate, I’m asking one of my worst enemies for help. Oh God what has happened to me.

He nods, and when he realizes what I’m trying to do, he grabs his messenger bag and pulls it closer to him, protecting it.

“But you can fuck right off if you think I’ll let you use it”.  

“Jean. Please” I’m begging. Why am I being to submissive?

He thinks for a second.

“One condition. You get me a date with Mikasa.”

I cringe. Not this again. But I really do need his help.

“I- I’ll put in a good word.”

Satisfied, he replies.

“Fine. Knock yourself out”.

The second he loses his death grip on his bag, I lunge at it and undo the zipper. Once it’s open, I can see the sleek silver Macbook, and I heave it out. Sitting on the tiled bathroom floor, I open it and begin to load the internet. I can hear my heart pounding in my ears as I begin to type in the website that I remember seeing on Armin’s screen just a few days ago. Jean sinks down onto the floor beside me, and watches as I furiously type on the keyboard.

“Don’t break it, holy shit” Jean mutters under his breath.

“Shut up Jean. Really not in the mood to fight with you”.

_[www.SurveyCorpsMusic.aot/trainee..competition/](http://www.surveycorpsmusic.aot/trainee..competition/) _

The website loads, and I nearly push the laptop off of my knees. There’s a video of my bathroom door. I click on it, and I immediately recognize Armin’s quiet chuckle. I suddenly hear myself singing, and oh my god. Mikasa and Armin recorded me singing while I was singing in the _shower_. I watch the video to the end, and then I’m outraged when it says my name and Mikasa’s contact information. They set me up. They entered me in the competition without my permission or anything.

“Eren? You look like you’re going to throw a tantrum. You better not take it out on me. But your voice is…actually really good. I get why they entered you… Calm down, oh my god. Don’t you dare start crying.”

I refuse to look at him, and I can feel my face turning red. I scroll down the page, and there’s a picture of me that they probably got from my Facebook. There’s also a paragraph of information underneath it. The last sentence makes me flinch, and I have to bite my thumb to keep from getting to angry.

_Eren Jaeger, everyone at Survey Corps Music is extremely excited to work with you. Your first session will be on Saturday, June 28 th. More information will be sent to your email._

_We look forward to meeting you!_

_-Hanji Zoe & Levi_

Wait…Levi? Could this be the man who has been in my dreams, or rather, night terrors? There would be only one way to find out, and that would be to accept winning something I never even wanted to enter in, and meet him. I shut the laptop and hand it over to Jean, muttering a quick “thanks”, and nearly sprinting out the door.

“Jaeger. Jaeger! Where are you going?!”

 Jean yells, running after me. He suddenly stops in his tracks when he realized I’m probably extremely angry, and it’s best to just leave me alone for a while. The school hallways are empty since it’s been about half an hour since classes were dismissed. I make my way out of the school, and the hot sun makes my skin boil through my hoodie. Even though I was still extremely mad at Mikasa and Armin, the only thing on my mind as I walked home was Levi. Was this just a stupid coincidence? I’m sure there are other people named Levi. Or could it really be him? Who was he anyway? Why do I feel like I love him when I’ve never even met him? Can I even call it love? _What do I do?_

 I open the door to the apartment, and thankfully realize no one else is home. I run upstairs to my room, throw my backpack on the floor, slam the door behind me, and lay down on my bed. My head aches and I feel like throwing up.  Maybe I can fall asleep for a little while, and wake up feeling a little less sick. I can hear my forgotten phone blowing up with emails and texts, and I decide that I’ll read them later. For now, I need to think this over, and see if I want to go through with this or not.

Then again, I don’t really have a choice, do I?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely comments, and I'm definitely taking all of your ideas into consideration!  
> Sorry for any typos :I  
> Thank you :D  
> (Since this chapter was all Eren's perspective, I'm going to probably try to make the next one from Levi's)  
> Once again, thank you to everyone for the Comments, Kudos, and Hits! <3


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi stops at the college cafe before work...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took so long to update, I've been so busy DX  
> Anyways, Enjoy!

\--Levi- -

 

Another night without sleep. I stare at the paperwork on my desk, and begin to feel sick. No matter how long I work on these useless forms, the stacks of paper never seem to decrease. I drop my pen and take another sip of cold coffee from its plain white mug. I shove the paperwork aside, and get up to stretch. As if working as a vocal coach wasn’t enough, I also work at the head office for Survey Corps Music, which means that when I’m not training anyone, I spend my day filling out boring paperwork, running stupid company errands, and such. It’s hard work, but it pays well. It’s a Tuesday morning, and the traffic will be terrible if I don’t leave to get home now. It’s already 8:00am, but if I hurry, I can make it home in time to watch the news and have an _actual_ cup of coffee, because I’m tired of drinking this bullshit excuse of a caffeine drink that they sell in this building. I straighten my tie, throw on my jacket, and lock the office door. Swinging the key on my finger, I step into the lonely elevator, and wait until I reach the empty main floor. Leaving the building in the mornings is one of my favourite things, because since there’s no one around, it’s the perfect place to stop and have a cigarette. At soon as I push open the glass doors and step into the warm morning air, I pull out my lighter and make my way to my car. The silver Ford Mustang is only my work car, and it’s parked somewhere deep in the musty parkade. Once I find it, I reluctantly put out my cigarette, and make my way onto the highway. Luckily, traffic is much better than I had expected it to be, I make it home with lots of time to spare. Once I eat a small breakfast, and finish watching whatever was left of the news, I begin to get ready to go back to work. As I make my way to the bedroom to take a shower, I catch a glimpse of myself in one of the mirrors, and almost jump. The dark circles under my eyes are extremely defined, my hair is mussed, and my clothes are twisted and pleated. These restless nights are starting to take their toll on me. Defeated, I continue to make my way through the house and finally, into the warm shower. My arms are extremely tense, and I catch myself sighing as the hot water rolls down my skin and down the drain. After my long, relaxing shower, I dry my hair, and get dressed. Since I was too busy to iron any of my ties, I decided on a white dress shirt, and a simple white cravat. Straightening my black blazer over my shoulders, I suddenly wish it was appropriate to wear hoodies to work. Looking at the clock, I realize I have time to kill, and decide to drive up to one of my favourite café’s places for a steaming cup of tea on the way back to the hellhole of an office that I spend most of my time in. Turning off the lights in every room, I make my way downstairs, and stop to make sure the stray cat living in the backyard has enough food. Leaving the house is one of my least favourite things to do, because I’m saying goodbye to a calm atmosphere, and hello to an annoying, busy building, with shitty drinks.

                I park on the corner of the college campus, and make my way to the small café just behind the school building. Even though this shop is run by amateurs, they had some of the best drinks in town, and act more professional than some of the bigger brand name stores. When I open the door, I’m greeted with the familiar smell of chocolate and caramel tea. I’m also greeted with an extremely familiar set of turquois eyes, and an angelic smile. I walk up to the counter, and as I get closer, I realize my hands are sweating. What am I doing? I nearly gasp when he begins to speak.

“Hey. What can I get’cha?”

Oh fuck he’s even cuter up close. His brown hair is messy and his uniform is slightly wrinkled. Usually I would hate these kinds of teens, leaning over the counter and not even pronouncing “get you” correctly, but it seemed like I’ve seen him before. I search him desperately for a name tag, but there isn’t one to be found. I begin to realize that I’m taking too long to order, and that he probably thinks that I’m checking him out, which isn’t a complete lie. I clear my throat, and order a strong black tea. He smiles, winks and replies.

“Coming right up, Sir. I’ll bring it to you when it’s done. Go ahead and sit at a table.”

And with that, he turns around and begins to make my drink. I make my way to the table closest to the window, and listen to the quiet jazz music playing in the café. Not being able to distract myself, I watch him as he makes my drink, convincing myself that it’s not to watch his arms and shoulders moving as he walks around and pours the earthy tea into the small mug, but to make sure he’s making it right. Oh and he definitely is. I stop and fight with myself. He’s a college kid. I’m not gay. I’m too old. I don’t even know him. But Jesus fucking Christ this kid is attractive. He suddenly sets my cup on the table, breaking my train of thought. He’s going to turn around and leave soon, so I try my best to stay calm and collected and I initiate conversation with him. I want to get to know him some more. I also just don’t want him to leave. I want to know if I actually have seen him before, or if I’m just so deprived of sleep that I’m imagining things.

“Hey, Kid”.

He turns around, and smiles. Awkward little shit.

“Y-yes, Sir?”  Did he just stutter? Yeah, yeah he did.

“What’s your name? I’ve never seen you around here before”.

He blushes, and looks away for a split second, and suddenly stares straight into my eyes.

“Oh, um, my name’s E-“ He’s cut off by someone ringing the counter bell impatiently. He turns back to me, seeming slightly flustered, and apologetically replies.

“I’m so sorry, I’d love to talk some more, but there’s a few customers waiting that I need to help, and afterwards my shift is over, and I have to get back to classes. Can we continue this conversation another time?”

I decide to give the kid a break, he seems extremely busy, and so I just nod and smile. He seems relieved, and waves goodbye before he runs back behind the counter. I stay and drink my coffee until his shift is over, and just catch him wave at me before he runs out the door, and down the path towards the school.

With no point in staying any longer, and just enough time to make it back to work, I leave the warm building, with only one thing on my mind.

_What is his name, and if he told me, would it be as familiar as his eyes?_

\--Eren- -

I leave the school as soon as the bell rings and make my way towards the café. I signed up for this job secretly behind Mikasa’s back because I wanted to help her earn money without her getting pissed off. I walk into the store and I’m greeted by the student whos shift I’m taking over. It was my first day on the job, so the girl just shows me the ropes of the job, and once I’m confident that I’m ready, she leaves the store in a hurry. Luckily, I’m already changed into the uniform. Black skinny jeans, blue button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up mid-way, and a brown apron around the waist. I washed my hands with the sweet smelling soap, and took a few orders. After they left, I stood behind the counter for what seemed like hours. Tuesday mornings were always slow because most kids had classes, but a few of the locals living around would always stop by for a drink. I stare out the large window, and I barely notice the next costumer walk in. Flustered, hoping they didn’t see my day dreaming, I stand up straighter and smile. When I see his face, I feel faint. I’ve seen him before, haven’t I? Where? When? I feel like I know him. He seems to stop for a second too, and I wonder if he recognizes me. When he walks up to the counter, I get a good look at him. He’s giving me deja vu. Black hair, neatly in place, flowing like an author’s pen ink. He’s dressed professionally, and the white cravat hanging off his neck contrasts with his pale skin. His eyes are a stone cold gray-blue, and wow, they’re beautiful. I feel ashamed, I’m practically drooling over some guy that I’ve never even met. He seems so cool and calm, and here I am, a blushing, hormonal mess. No. I have to put my teenage boy issues aside for now, and do my job.

“Hey. What can I get’cha?”

I lean over the counter, something about him makes me want to get closer. I see his eyes travel all over my uniform and I become extremely self-conscious. Am I missing something? He speaks, and his voice is nothing short of attractive, and soothing, and not to mention familiar. I’ve met him before, haven’t I? He orders a black tea, and he won’t meet my eyes. Fuck, I creeped him out, didn’t I? Trying to be polite, I reply.

“Coming right up, Sir. I’ll bring it to you when it’s done. Go ahead and sit at a table.”

He smirks, and turns around to leave. I try to make his drink as fast as I can, he looks busy and I don’t want someone like him to get angry. Sure, he’s kinda short but if looks could kill, anyone who got in his way would drop dead, I’m sure. I can feel his gaze on my back, and I begin to tremble. I can’t screw up his drink, he’ll think I’m an idiot. A newbie. A stupid teenager. Once I finish his drink, I turn around to see him just looking at his watch. Did I take too long? I push the thoughts out of my fuzzy brain and walk up to his table. Thankfully, without spilling, I set his drink on the table and prepare to walk away. Until, I hear him call for me.

“Hey, Kid”. I freeze. He’s talking to me. That voice…where is it from…? It’s killing me.

I turn around, and smile. _Be polite_.

“Y-yes, Sir?”  Fuck, I stuttered. I’m such an idiot! I hope he didn’t notice. He’s so collected, and here I am, just all over the place.

“What’s your name? I’ve never seen you around here before”. Oh my God he noticed I’m new. How? Did I mess up? Shit. I look at the ground and blush, the smirk on his lips is too much for me to handle. I remember what the girl that trained me said earlier. Look into the customers eyes, or else you’ll be considered rude. So I look straight into his eyes, and continue to smile.

 

“Oh, um, my names E-“

I’m cut off by the service bell ringing at the counter. I didn’t even notice those customers walk in. I turn back and face him.

“I’m so sorry, I’d ( _really)_ love to talk some more, but there’s a few customers waiting that I need to help, and afterwards my shift is over, and I have to get back to classes. Can we continue this conversation another time?” _Please come back another time when I’m not on my shift. Please._

He nods and smiles. Relieved, I walk away and continue to complete the orders. After about half an hour, I notice he’s still there, sitting at the table, just staring at his tea. God he is cute. My shift finally ends, and before walking out the door, I wave goodbye, and step outside. Just before I enter the school, I steal a glance behind me, and I see him leaving the shop too. Coincidence? Or was he waiting for me? For the rest of the day, I tried my best to concentrate on my studies, but it was hopeless. I didn’t even know his name, but I feel like I know him better than anyone else. I head home later that day with a fuckload of homework, and a certain someone on my mind.

It almost feels like…I was once addicted to him, and now I’m relapsing.

But whatever this is…it feels good.

Good and absolutely gut wrenching at the same time.

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for being so patient, ily :3  
> Im so sorry it took so long to update -.-  
> I hope you enjoyed, and if you have any ideas for future chapters, please tell me.  
> I don't wanna get writers block DX  
> Thank you for all the Kudo's, Hits, and Comments :)  
> Greatly appreciated!  
> (Please tell me if you find any grammar errors/typos!)


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Levi is starting to remember Eren.  
> Two fluffy dreams in one chapter. Wow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a VERY LONG TIME TO UPDATE AND I AM SO SORRY! Finals are coming up and I finally found some time to write. Don't hate me :c  
> Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

\--Eren- -

Dropping my bag on my bedroom floor, I run towards my desk and flip open my laptop. _I’m gonna be late! Fuck!_  I log into my skype account, and run to the other side of my room to swing open my closet. _Clean clothes clean clothes clean clo- Ah!_ I pull out a black button up shirt, and a pair of dark blue skinny jeans. Good enough. Immediately after changing, I hear my skype ringing. They’re calling. Mikasa bursts in and wishes me good luck, before closing the door, leaving just as quickly as she came. I smile, and walk back to my desk, and sit down.

 _Answer_.

The screen is black for a few seconds before it connects us to each other.  Suddenly, a woman comes up on my screen, dark red hair sticks wildly out of her messy ponytail, and thick rimmed square glasses rest on her nose. She seems to be analyzing me as well. She is the first to speak, a high shrill escaping her gaping mouth.

“So, YOU’RE Eren Jaeger? Nice to meet you. My name is Hanji Zoe, you probably already know that. Unfortunately, Levi is being a _butt_ and can’t skype right now, so you’ll just have to deal with me for now. My GOD you are C-U-T-E!”

I smile, and laugh awkwardly.

She screams even louder.

-Two hours later-

I wave goodbye to Hanji, and turn of my laptop. I guess I made a good first impression, because she’s still interested in me participating in the program. I don’t even notice Mikasa walk in, and I jump when she touches my shoulder.

“Relax. It’s just me. How did it go?”

I turn my head back to my closed laptop, and sigh.

“ I think it went alright”.

“Sooooo….Do they still want you?”  
I nod. She hugs me tightly.

“I’m going to take a nap now, okay?  Could you close the door?”

She nods, and speaks through a crack in the door.

“I’m proud of you, Eren”.

She shuts the door, and I hear her quiet footsteps going down the stairs. The further she goes, the further I drift off to sleep. _I’m proud of me, too._

_I wake up screaming. The room is dark. Tears drip down my neck and onto the thick blanket on my lap. I hold my head in my hands, quietly sobbing to myself. I don’t want to wake him up. Too late. He sits up, and puts his strong arm around my shoulder. He hugs me for a while, his calm breathing helping me slow my erratic one. I feel his heartbeat against my chest, the warmth of his breath on my neck. I slowly calm down, and he holds me until my tears are dry. He pulls away, my body now feeling cold because of his absence. He kisses my jaw, and up my face, small feathery kisses that make me chuckle. I feel the smirk on his lips when my breath hitches as he kisses the nape of my neck. He then turns my head towards his, and stares into my eyes._

_“Do you want to talk about it?” He asks in a sleepy voice._

_I shake my head no. I don’t want to keep him up._

_He presses a kiss to my lips, it’s long and passionate. His lips are soft and I know mine are chapped and brittle. He continues to kiss me anyway, until he pulls away to breathe._

_“Are you okay?” He asks in a soft tone._

_I shake my head no once again, and lay down. He lays down beside me, closer this time. I'm suddenly cloaked in a familiar warmth, as Levi drapes his arms around me._

_We spend the rest of the night cuddling while he kisses me and tells me it’s going to be okay._

_I fall asleep to the feeling Levi whispering “I love you” into my neck._

 

I still feel the kisses on my face when I wake up. My back aches and I roll out of the mangled position I had fallen asleep in. I look at the clock. 8:32. I slept for about 4 hours. I roll my shoulders, and decide to go take a shower, since I wouldn’t be able to fall asleep for a while now. I turn on the hot water, and steam starts to fill the room immediately. I’m too exhausted to stand in the shower, so I sit down on the tiled floor and let the hot water beat my back raw. I recall my dream. I feel something painful in my ribs. I miss Levi. I can only remember him when I sleep. I guess I’ll start sleeping a lot more now.  I relive the dream at the bottom of the shower; hugging my knees and feeling him kiss me. I shiver when I remember him whisper onto my neck.  I find myself whispering back, as if somehow, maybe he could hear me.

“I love you, too”.

 

 

 

\--Levi- -

I never thought I’d find myself saying this, but thank god for Hanji Zoe. After I walked into the office yesterday morning looking like I had gotten beaten up _(the dark circles under my eyes were as black as a punk rock singers eyeliner) ,_ she took over my paper work for the rest of the week to allow me go sleep and take the rest of the week off in the comfort of my apartment. I drive home under the black starry sky, blasting Coldplay songs. Warning sign comes on, and I start singing along quietly.

_A warning sign, I missed the good part, then I realised_

_I started looking and the bubble burst, I started looking for excuses_

_Come on in, I've gotta tell you what a state I'm in, I’ve gotta tell you in my loudest tones_

_That I started looking for a warning sign_

_When the truth is, I miss you_

_Yeah the truth is, that I miss you so_

I begin to think of the boy with the familiar eyes. It just seems right. The black sky over head and the heart felt words coming through the speakers of the car remind me of his awkward smile, his tiny stutter, and how his cheeks blushed such a nice pink. My car rolls into the driveway, and I step out into the hot summer night. I unlock the house door, and head straight for my room, to jump into a relaxing shower, and then fall asleep with a book and a cup of tea. I turn the shower on, and instantly relax as soon as the water hits my skin. I take about 20 minutes, and soon enough, I’m wrapped up in soft blankets, and drifting off to sleep. The bed feels somewhat empty for the first time. Why does my bed feel empty? I shake it off, and fall asleep to the lack of warmth by my side.

_The camp fire roars in front of us. Cold drinks are passed around the circle. Everyone is here. Petra, Gunter, Hanji, even Mike and Erwin showed up. But most importantly, Eren sat beside me, genuinely laughing, and careless. He takes a swig from the glass bottle in front of him, and then he turns towards me._

_“Happy Birthday, Levi”._

_I smile, and_ _he laughs. Suddenly, Hanji started to chant something in a quiet whisper. Then the others caught on, and it grew louder and louder until they were yelling at us._

_Kiss! Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!_

_Eren’s olive skin turns bright pink; it falls in contrast with the light of the flames. I look at him, and smirk._

_“I guess we should give them want we want” Eren says, smiling deviously._

_I nod._

_He puts his hand on my cheek and begins to lean in slowly. No. I need this now. Impatiently, I put my hand on the back of his head, and push him into me. Our lips crash together, and his breath hitches in surprise. I laugh quietly into his mouth, and he shivers. Everyone cheers, and we pull apart. He wipes away the bit of wetness on his bottom lip, and I wink at him. He smiles, and rests his head on my shoulder. We fit together like puzzle pieces. He whispers in my ear, I can barely smell the alcohol on his breath. “Leeevi. Hahaha. I love you.”_

_I kiss the top of his head._

_“I love you, too, Brat.”_

_“Happy Birthday”._

_It was a happy birthday, indeed._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If there are any Grammar mistakes or spelling mistakes, please tell me so I can correct them.  
> Thank you for all the Kudos, Hits, and Comments!  
> If you have any ideas for future chapters, please tell me! I'm suffering from writers block!  
> Once again, thank you everyone :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eren and Levi finally meet at the studio.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This took a long time, I'm sorry. Good news is, I finally have the whole story planned out, so I will be updating more frequently! Enjoy.

-Eren-

I tap my pencil against my desk with anticipation, staring at the clock as its hands slowly turned, keeping me in suspense. Just two more minutes, and I would be done with Grade 11. I could barely keep back a groan as I snapped the pencil I was holding, which was my only source of entertainment at the time. Most of the other classes were having year end parties right now, but our bitch of a teacher decided it would be nicer to sit in silence. _Holy fucking shit come on! Just a few more fucking seconds-_ the shrill bell rang before I could start another list of profanities in my head, and everyone jumped up, yelling. Some people threw papers into the air, cheering, while others grabbed their backpacks and dashed out of the classroom as fast as they could. I looked and Mikasa and Armin, smiling so wide I knew my jaw would be sore later.

“So, what do you guys wanna do on our first day of vacation?”

“GET LAID!” Connie shouted from the corner of the classroom.

Was I really speaking loud enough for him to hear the question? We all laughed as we made our way out of the classroom, and once I was sure he was out of earshot, I asked again.

“No, seriously guys. We have to do something. Armin, you’re smart, what should we do?”

“Whats wrong with Connies idea?” He asked with a smirk and a sparkle in his deep blue eyes.

“How does icecream sound?” Mikasa cuts in, laughing quietly. Me and Armin simultaneously agree, and as we finish cleaning out the paper scraps and magnets out of our lockers, we head out to the small ice cream parlour by the beach. Its cold inside, and I notice Armin pull his oversized sweater sleeves over his hands. _Kawaii little shit._ We order our cones, and decide to take a walk along the shore. Armin finds a crab that we run away from as it chases us over the hot sand. The sun is beating down on us, but the ocean spray that sprays in our faces whenever the tides hit one of the many rocks on the shore make it bearable.  Suddenly, Armin playfully shoves me towards the tides, and I lose my balance, falling hard onto the shallow water. We laugh hysterically, even though it’s not even funny and it hurts like a bitch.

“Armin if you’re going to push me down, at least help me back up!” I call. He nods, smiling widely, and reaches out his arm. I hold his hand, and I’m honestly surprised he could actually be this gullible. I pull him down and he lands beside me with a splash. We look at each other and laugh even harder. We look into each other’s eyes, and suddenly I realize we’re still holding hands. I break apart from him and sit up. He does the same, and we both suddenly realize we’re half soaked. We get the same idea at the same time it seems, and we both immediately reach to take off our shirts and shoes. We stand up, and run further into the ocean, laughing like absolute idiots. Mikasa has her arms crossed and shes shaking her head smirking as we splash and tackle each other. We both look at each other, nod, and run back towards shore. Mikasas look changes from appreciative to pure fear in a matter of seconds as we pull her into a bear hug, still dripping. She screams and tries to run, but we just hug her tighter.

“I loooove you Mikasa!” I yell, laughing, and Armin shuffles closer.

“I second that” Armin coos.

She then proceeds to chase us around the beach, with murder in her eyes. How did she get so fucking fast?

 

The sun began to set, and the sky turned a beautiful orange with bursts of yellow and pink. We picked up our bags, surprisingly not stolen or dirty, and made our way home. My skin smelt of salt and summer and I loved it. We dropped Armin off, and he pulled me into a suprising hug.

“Thank you for today Eren.” He says quietly into my ear. It’s almost a whisper.

“No problem, Ar. It was great”. He smells like the beach too, hot sand and vanilla.

“I’m really proud of you, I just want you to know that, okay? Really, really, proud”.

I smile into his shoulder, he can feel it, I’m sure.

“Thank you, it means a lot.”

We pull away, and as I begin to walk down the stairs from his front door, he calls to me.

“Eren. Don’t forget about me this summer, okay?”

It hits me like an arrow. I turn around.

“Armin, why the hell would I forget yo-“

He cuts me off laughing

“Shh Eren, I’m just saying. Text me tonight, alright?”

I nod, and join Mikasa who’s already begun to walk away, since she knew we had been talking while hugging.

“What did he say?” She asks once I reach her.

“It’s not important, trust me, Mikasa”.

She nods silently, looks up at the sky. The street lights are beginning to flicker on, and the sky is turning into a darker, more blended purple. If this is what the whole summer is going to be like, then I’m ready.

 

We reach the apartment in a matter of minutes, and once Mikasa unlocks the door, we both head to our rooms to drop off our bags. I pull my phone out of the small pocket and check the time. 8:00 P.M, and two texts from Armin. I laugh quietly to myself, and begin to read them as I walk downstairs.

 

Ar [7:45]

 Hey

Ar [7:48]

Are you home yet?

Eren [8:15]

yeah, just got back

I shove my phone into my pocket, and walk into the kitchen. I can hear the TV quietly speaking, and walk towards the fridge.

“Don’t even bother, Eren. Theres nothing good, so I just ordered pizza. Come sit”

She doesn’t even look up at me as I sit down beside her. I hear a knock at the door, and I ask for the money. She hands me a few bills, something devious in her eyes. Confused, I turn around and answer the door. Instead of someone holding a delicious box of pizza, I see Armin, holding a pillow. He looks down at the money and chuckles.

“Mind if I sleep over?”

I open the door wider, and allow him to step inside.

“Ar, you’re always welcome here. Mikasa called you, didn’t she” I look over at her, and her catlike eyes are smiling.

I nod, silently thanking her.

“Just go drop your stuff off in my room and then come back down, we can watch a movie or something”

He grins from ear to ear, and runs up the stairs.

“Why?”

“Because tomorrows your first day, and we want to be here before you leave”

 _Ahh. Right. Tomorrow I’m starting at the studio_. Something bubbles in my chest, a mixture or fear and excitement. Armin comes down just in time for the next knock on the door, and I make a mental note, saying that if they decided to invite Jean too, I was going to slap someone. Luckily, no violence was nessecary, because the man who stood in the door had our food. We spent the rest of the night watching horror movies, and playing Mario kart on our wii. Soon, Mikasa shooed us off to bed, because I had to be up quite early so I could get to the studio. With Armin at my side, and the faint smell of ocean spray in the room, I slept better than I had in months.

 

The light from the soft pink sky wakes me up, the air already starting to warm up from the cooler night. Armin is still sleeping, his blonde hair unknotted and splayed across his pillow. I sit up groggily and look at the clock. 6:30 AM. Perfect timing. I have about two hours to get ready. I get up as slowly as I can, trying not to wake the sleeping blond haired boy. I quietly made my way into the shower, and I quickly wash away the remaining ocean salt from my body, and replace the smell with a fresher one, like a soft cologne. When I step out of the steaming bathroom, Armin has already stirred awake, and he rubs his teeming blue eyes from their sleepy haze. Squinting, he looks up at me and smiles angelically.

“I already picked out an outfit for you, its on your dresser” He chuckles quietly. My spirits are lifted.

“You saved my ass. Thanks. But when did you have time to do this?”

“While I was dropping my stuff off in your room last night. I want today to be as stress free as possible for you, okay?”

I nod, and thank him again, before returning to the humid bathroom to get changed. Black skinny jeans, an army green tank top, and a dark gray cardigan. I rolled the sleeves up to my elbows, and stepped out of the bathroom, arms outstretched.

“How does it look? Do I make it look stupid? I probably make it look stupid”

Armin turns around and puts a hand to his mouth, as if hiding a gasp. Tears well up in his eyes.

“Ar? Holy shit Armin are you okay? Did I do something?”  I’m holding onto his shoulders now.

He shakes his head, and in a broken voice he declares

“Remember yesterday when I said I was really, _really_ proud of you?”

Silence. Then, he continues;

“Now I’m even prouder.”

“Ar…your going to make me cry”. He chuckles and I pull him into a hug.

“Thank you, Armin.”

“Mmf” He replies, shoving his face into my chest.

Then we hear a knock on the door, and I pull away. He dries his tears, with the biggest fucking grin on his face.

“Come in” I say, fixing the cardigan on my shoulders. Mikasa steps in, and takes a look at my outfit, and nods.

“And I can tell Armin picked that out for you.”

“Hey!” I shout, pretending to be offended. She rolls her eyes and sighs. The three of us in one room, the anticipation bubbling in my chest, this summer is going to be a lot of fucking work.

And I’m going to love it all.

 

“Good luck!” Armin shouts. I turn around and wave, and continue making my way up the large steps. The building is fucking huge, and modern. It’s an ash gray, with thousands of perfectly shined windows. After counting them, I’ve come to the conclusion that there are twelve levels. I step up to the large glass doors, and take a deep breath before walking in. Inside, I can hear phones ringing, copiers copying, and whatever that group of men is doing sitting on the gray couches in a large seating area. I weave between the women rushing by, and the people filing in and out of the elevator, until I reach the large front desk, which is also made out of glass. The woman behind the desk looks up at me and smiles.

“Can I help you?”

“Yeah, um, my name is Eren Jaeger, and-“

“Oh! YOU’RE the contest winner everyone around here is talking about. Congratulations! I’m sure everyone will make you comfortable here. Your coach is Levi, here is your pass. Floor twelve hun! Good luck”.

I nod, and turn around to make my way to the elevator, when I realize that everyone had stopped working and talking to look at me. _Yeah, they’re making me comfortable for sure._   I can hear my name being whispered from a thousand mouths in a thousand tones.

Suddenly, a shrill cry catches my attention.

“Eren Jaeger! In the flesh! Do you remember me?”

I laugh and turn around

“How could I forget? Hanji Zoe.”

“You DO remember! Ah, fabulous. Come with me, I’ll show you the ropes of this place before I take you up to Levi”.

I leave the now quiet room, and follow her into the elevator. We strike up small talk until we reach floor one. It’s a good thing I got here early, because I have a feeling this is going to take a fucking long time.

 

I was right. Hanji is now taking me to the 12th floor, biting her nails because we’re an hour late and Levi is going to have our heads. Excitement and fear bubbles in my stomach again. I suddenly remember the dreams. Levi. What if-

“LEVIIIII” Hanji screams when the elevator doors open. I step out, and the floor is much different than all the others I had just explored. There are no offices, no long rows of computers, or desks. It’s a large room with a giant frosted glass door at the end. The floor is a dark cherry wood, and the walls a dark green/beige. Small lighting fixtures with yellow bulbs decorate the tops of the walls. In the corner, there’s a bookshelf, a piano, and a gray couch like the one downstairs, with a glass coffee table placed in front of it.

The doors at the end of the hall open, and Hanji steps inside. She turns around and motions for me to follow.

“Eren Jaegers here!” He shouts in an almost teasing tone.

“That’s fucking great Hanji, would’ve been better if you had brought him up here, oh I don’t know, about an hour ago?”

I hear a deep voice echo throughout the large room we now stand in, and I know it must be Levi. On one end of the room, there’s a large sound booth, with all its beautiful technology that the professionals use, and on the other side, there’s a desk with an open laptop, and a tornado of papers and pens surrounding it.

“Levi, I’m sorry, but blame it on me, don’t waste the kids time.”

“Whatever, four eyes, I’ll be right there.”

I can’t tell where the voice is coming from until-

A man steps out from the balcony outside the large window that I had somehow failed to notice. He puts out his cigarette on the ash tray conveniently placed in the entry way, and closes the large sliding door behind him. Hes quite short, and he has very dark brown hair that is slightly disheveled from the wind outside. His eyes are the colour of a cold stone, gray but with flecks of blue, but at the same time, blue with flecks of gray. He has pale skin, unscarred and unblemished, he’s sculpted from porcelain. Strong jawline, visible collar bones…He’s hot. No, no he’s _attractive_. Keep this at a business standard. Strictly business.

“Hanji if you would be _so kind_ as to step out of my office so I can begin my session”.

She pouts.

“But Levi~..”

“Oh, don’t worry, I’ll whoop your ass for making the kid late, but later. We’re already ofF schedule”.

And while he pushes her out the door with a growl, I disregard everything he thought before. _Fuck business, hes hot._

He turns again, and looks over me once more.

“So. Are we going to begin or what?”

I smile.

“Do I have a choice?”

He pauses, as if he’s thinking.

“Mm, No.”

I find myself laughing softly.

“Then, bring it on”.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the Kudos, Comments, and Hits.  
> The more i get the more i want to write.   
> I'll be updating more frequently now.  
> (I made this one longer because I just couldn't stop writing)  
> Also sorry not sorry for the little bit of Eremin  
> Once again, tell me about any typos or mistakes so i can correct them.  
> Thank you again, I love you all <3


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lessons begin, and Eren`s sure now that it really is Levi, regardless of what his friends and family had said. But how will Eren react to this? And where is Levi taking Eren?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updated!! (⌒▽⌒)☆  
> Sorry it took a while..  
> I really have nothing to say about this chapter  
> Enjoy!

\- Eren -  

Now, I’m absolutely sure.

Regardless of what Mikasa and Armin had told me countless times. This was Levi. This was the man from my dreams. The crude sense of humor, the emotions hidden behind his stoic eyes.

And now just looking at him made my mouth dry.

_“Eren, that’s ridiculous and you know it.” Armin had said._

_“Do we need to go to a therapist? I mean, if these dreams are bothering you so much that when you see ordinary people on the street you think you love them, I think you need to talk about it with someone who deals with this sort of stuff. You saw a guy at the coffee shop that you thought was attractive. That’s all it was.”_

_“It’s a coincidence. A really, really weird coincidence. Even if it is someone you used to know, what would you even say?”_

And now I stand here like an idiot, thinking the exact same thing.

_What the fuck am I supposed to say?_

Levi looks at me with a cold glare, his arms still crossed over his chest. Hes waiting for something...

Probably for me to stop being such an awkward little shit.

Hes the first to break the silence, either because he was tired of waiting or because he could sense the social awkwardness radiating off of me.

“Since we already know each other’s names, we can skip the formal introductions.”

I nod, and reply with a pathetic

“Yeah”.

He stares at me, raises an eyebrow, and then his eyes are back on the wall behind me.

“Alright, enough with this awkward silence shit. We’re going to start warming up now, so get in the sound booth, alright?”

Nodding, I obediently make my way to the sound booth across the room. He waits for me to pass him before he starts to follow. Once inside, he holds open the glass door for me to step into the actual booth, and closes the door quietly. Then, he takes a seat at the desk, behind all the expensive recording equipment.

He turns on the microphone in front of me, and puts on his headphones.  He notices that I have absolutely no idea what to do, and he gestures to the headphones hanging on the wall beside the microphone. I silently mouth “Oh” and slip them on. He then presses a button, and his smooth voice speaking directly in my ears sends a shiver through my entire body, that I hope he doesn’t notice.

“You’ve never been in a recording studio, have you..”

I can feel the annoying blush creeping up my neck and turning my cheeks pink. I scratch the back of my neck, a nervous habit, and respond with a voice shakier than I had hoped it would be.

“N-no, I haven’t”

I look up at him, expecting to see at least a touch of sympathy in his eyes.

There is none.

“We’re going to start you off with some vocal exercises. So just take a deep breath, and listen to the recording I’m about to play. I’ll be right back.”

He flicks a switch, takes off his headphones, and leaves the room, closing the heavy but small wooden door with a resounding _click._ I take his advice and take a deep breath, and exhale just as the recording starts. Levi’s voice starts to speak to me.

_Recording number 1, Vocal exercising._

_We start with a scale. I’ll start, you follow. Ready? Go._

_Wait! This is too fast- Oh my fuck he’s singing_.

He sings up the scale, and I almost forget to follow along. His voice is deep and heavy, but the higher he goes, it becomes light and airy. It’s mellow and soft, yet strong and fierce. God damn, he can sing. The scale started too fast, but now it ends too soon for my liking. He goes back to talking with his smooth voice. He sounds hot when he’s talking, but his singing voice is even better. It feels as if a huge weight has been lifted off my chest, and my anxieties are expelled with every note I hit, as Levi guides me into a chorus of “Ooh’s”  and “Ah’s”.

_I’m singing with the man who visited me in my sleep. The one who I’ve wanted to meet for so fucking long is right in front of me._

Excitement courses through my body as I close my eyes and sing with the familiar voice. Thoughts were rushing in and out of my head quicker and quicker.

_It’s been so long, and I don’t remember everything. Hell, I don’t even know if you remember anything at all. But as long as I have some sort of connection with you, I’ll feel this excitement surging through my veins, waking me up. Mikasa and Armin were wrong. It is you. It is y-_

The recording suddenly stops, and I open my eyes.

My heart lodges in my throat when I see Levi sitting behind the glass, in front of the desk.

_How long has he been sitting there…_

I can see the small smirk ghosting his lips, ethereal, but there.

“Well, I see you got really into that recording.”

And my face is back to the blushing mess it was just about 15 minutes ago.

“Now that you’ve obviously warmed up enough, let’s start singing. Choose any song, just a song.”

I think about it for a while, but nothing comes to my head.

“Can you choose for me?” I ask sincerely.

“If I make all the decisions for you, these lessons are useless. Your lesson, your song. Now hurry up, we don’t have all day”.

I mentally shuffle through the songs I remember having on my phone, until finally;

“Find a way by Safetysuit”.

“Better not be some screamo death metal shit. You’re here to sing, not yell at me.”

I laugh, and wait as he types it into the youtube search engine. How fancy.

He plugs the laptop into some machine, flicks a few switches, and finally the music starts to come in through my headphones.

Before the lyrics come, I quickly ask

“You really just want me to, um, sing? Infront of you?”

He looks at me coldly, the look in his eyes is telling me _are you fucking serious?_

“My god, you’re a special one. Yes, now do it”

And so I do.

_Hold on,_

_What’s the rush, what's the rush we're_

_Not done are we?_

_Cause I don't need to change this_

_Atmosphere we've made if_

_You can stay one more hour,_

_Can you stay one more hour?_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you_

_Stay_

I look up, and he’s still staring at me with the same expression, not a single emotion crossing his face. I don’t hear the song starting to fade out, so I take it as a sign to continue.

_Hold on,_

_I'll be here when it's_

_All done you know_

_Cause what's the point in chasing_

_If I can't enjoy your face and_

_We can't be wrong tonight,_

_Can we be wrong tonight?_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_And if I was running, you'd be the one who I would be running to_

_And if I was crying, you would be lining the cloud that would pull me through_

_And if I was scared, then I would be glad to tell you and walk away_

_But I am not lying; I am just trying to find my way in_

_to you_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_You know I'm gonna find a time to catch your hand and make you stay_

_I don't care what clothes you wear, it's time to love and I don't care_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

_If I was running_

_If I was crying_

_If I was scared_

_You know I'm gonna find a way to let you have your way with me_

The music quietly fades out, and now it’s just me and  him once again. A sheepish smile crosses my face after he doesn’t say anything for about 10 seconds. And then;

“You know, kid, you sounded good in the shower, but you sound a lot better in that recording booth.”

My smile widens.

“Thanks”

But then he continues.

“But you still do have a long way to go. You have the voice and the-“

He pauses, hesitating.

“Looks, but you still need to work hard.”

I nod, understanding. I wasn’t expecting to be perfect.

“And I know this was your first time and all, but don’t breathe into the mic when you’re singing. It sounds okay with some songs but it’s not a good habit to pick up. Now, let’s do that again, and this time, I’ll be correcting you. Start at the beginning, A capella. Go.”

 

                When I walk out of the building, the hot, humid air hits me like a wave, nearly knocking me over. It’s a change from the cool, musty air that surrounded me in the studio. The sun has already started to set, and it was getting cold. I rolled down the sleeves of my cardigan, and as I made my way down the steps, I spotted Armin and Mikasa, waiting for me. I ran down the stairs a little faster, and immediately found myself wrapped in Armin’s tight embrace.

“How did it go!?” He yelled when we pulled apart.

“Really, really well.”

“What are you holding?” Mikasa’s voice is barely a whisper.

“Oh! Right. It’s just a schedule.”

Armin’s grin widens, as if that was even possible. He hooks his arm around mine, and the three of us make our way home, telling stories and laughing. But the further I get away from the building, and Levi, the emptier I feel.

And I don’t even have to wonder why.

Because I know I’m leaving a piece of me behind, in that exact studio on the 12th floor.

 

               . Hanji stopped me in the elevator today.

“Can you believe it’s almost already been a month, Eren?”

I shake my head. Everything is still so new to me. But at the same time, I’ve memorized everything. The route to the building, the faces I pass on the way to the elevator at exactly 7:30 AM every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday. The rooms on each floor, where the vending machines are… I knew them all. Hanji gets off on the eighth floor, where her office is, and I continue up in silence, thinking about what me and Levi would practice today. Levi and I had gotten quite close over the past few days, but I think he only likes me because I don’t get offended by his crude humor. I don’t think he remembers anything, or he’s just really fucking amazing at hiding it. I still don’t know what to say, so I haven’t mentioned it yet. The dreams still come steadily, one every night, but they don’t bother me as much anymore, and because I know he’s real. The opening elevator doors put an abrupt stop to my train of thought, and I walk out with a skip in my step, excited to start the session. I’m stopped by the yellow CAUTION TAPE wrapped around the door. I don’t even notice Levi sitting on the couch facing the door until he speaks.

“There you are brat”.

He stands up, his jacket slung on his forearm, and an ordinary black messenger back draped on his shoulder.

“What’s going on?” I question.

He sighs, annoyed.

“Some fucking kids broke in and trashed the place. There’s spray paint and coke everywhere. It’s going to be locked up until it’s gone. It should be cleaned up by tonight, so fortunately, tomorrows session is going to be held in the office again.”

I stand there, confused.

”Coke..? Sir, I don’t see what’s so toxic about soda..?”

He gives me the look again. That ‘ _are you fucking serious’_ look. The one I`ve gotten to know extremely well over the past few weeks.

“Eren.” He says sternly.

“What?”

“Coke. As in cocaine. The drug, Eren.”

I cover my mouth, laughing. 

“Oh my god I-“ I manage to stutter before I go back into hysterics. I can swear I see his shoulders jostle as if he was laughing too, but I’ll never know because as soon as I saw it, it was gone again.

“You really are a fucking idiot. You’re lucky I don’t hate you, or I would’ve hit you by now”.

We make our way towards the elevator.

“You don’t hate me? Awe~ Levi! That’s the sweetest thing you’ve ever said to me!”

“Don’t push it, Eren”

“Sorry”

We step out on the first floor, and suddenly, I stop, dumbfounded.

_Where do I go now?_

“Uh..Levi?”

He doesn’t turn around, only replies.

“Hm?”

“What do we do now?”

Now he turns a quizzical look on his face. Looks like he didn’t think this far ahead either.

“I’ve got an idea.”

I wait for an explanation to follow.

It doesn’t.

He starts to walk, but I stay behind, waiting for him to tell me. I hear him sigh.

“Just follow me.”

And with that, I follow him out of the building, and to the parking lot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for all the comments, hits, kudos, and bookmarks!  
> I hope to make the story more intense soon :)  
> Thank you again!  
> ( ˘ ³˘)♥


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get awkward, but then the curtain comes crashing down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the sort-of cliff hanger!  
> Also, i am not very good at writing filler/transition chapters  
> Enjoy

\- - Eren - -

The cold, late July air sends a chill down my spine and I immediately wished that I had worn the sweater Armin had bought for me the day before, instead of protesting and leaving the house with just a thin t-shirt to cover my torso. _It was so warm this morning?_ I look up at the sky, and I start tosee soft, gray clouds beginning to build on the horizon. _Mikasa did say it would rain…_ I’m still following Levi through the open parking lot, trying not to walk too close so he doesn’t think I’m creepy, but not too far for him to think I’m scared. Well, to be honest, I _am_ a little frightened, seeing as I have no idea where he’s taking me, whether it be his house, or abandoning me in a cold, dark alley, far away from here, leaving me surrounded by dangerous people, with dangerous weapons. And I’m not sure which one I fear more. Finally, we reach the stairs at the end of the parking lot, and he looks over his shoulder, at me, so make sure I’m still following. We make our way down, and through the rows and rows of cars.

“I’m one of the most important people in that building, yet they put me in the shitty underground parkade, which is a long walk away from the building. Tch.” Levi rambles quietly, and I’m not sure if I should comment or not. I do anyway, since I have “no filter”, as Armin would say.

“I think it’s nice of them, at least your car is protected from any bad weather that could be happening above ground?”

He looks at me from the corner of his eye.

“I guess you’ve got a point”

He whispers as if it hurt for him to say it.

Finally, he takes out his keys, and presses the unlock button. I expect a small cars tail lights to light up, but instead..

“Holy shit!” I yell, stopping in my tracks. He turns swiftly, raising an eyebrow, confused.

“What, brat?”

I stay silent, my mouth gaping open, staring at the beautiful car in front of me. I barely notice him walking up to me in quick strides, and placing a hand under my chin, to close my mouth.

“Speak, idiot. You don’t just get to startle me like that and not explain what-“

“You drive a Jaguar?! A Jaguar F-type Coupe?”

He smirks, smugly.

“As you can see, yes. Why, you like it?”

“Obviously!”

Without even thinking, I race ahead without Levi, and stare at the rims on his wheels, and enjoy the sexy dark gray colour, and how it shines under my fingertips. I trace random parts of the car with my fingers gently, making sure that what I’m seeing is real.

“I sure hope your hands are clean”

I step away from the car, embarrassed because _oh god I just fan-boyed about his car and he saw me_ and I see Levi walk over to the passenger’s side.

“Levi, why aren’t you getting on the driver’s side?”

He opens the door, and motions for me to get in.

_He’s holding the door open for me?_

I feel my cheeks start to heat up, as I walk forward, and try my best to avoid touching Levi as I shuffle into the car. _Fuck these small parking lots_ I think as I accidentally brush my hand against his black jeans, right above his knee. My blush grows stronger, and I give him a sheepish smile, saying sorry in a subtle way. He smirks, and closes the door. It only takes him a few seconds to walk around the other side, and sit down. He starts the car, and we pull out of the dark parking lot and onto the street, where the bright sunlight blinds us at the same time.

 

We drive at a steady pace, and Levi even opens the window for me to stick my head out of, and he gives me the “you’re such a dog” comments I was expecting. Soon, I start to see familiar houses, neighbourhoods, and suddenly

_Is that my school? Oh shit, that’s the coffee shop? He’s taking me to the coffee shop?!_

I pull my head out of the window a little too fast, and give myself what feels like whiplash to look at him. He notices my sudden movement and looks at me after parking the car, just in front of the small shop. The shop I work at, to be exact.

“Levi..”

“Is there a problem?” He _almost_ sounds sincere, sympathetic. But I barely catch the tone, because I’m still freaking out.

_I work here. What if people recognize me? And sitting with another man? They wouldn’t know what was going on. The rumors that could spread, the questions that would be asked... And if I told them I was working with a record company that would cause extra publicity that I’m not ready for yet.  I’m not ready to tell everyone._

I begin trying to mentally read everyone’s schedules, seeing if any of my colleagues would be working today.

And then Levi cuts me off.

“We can talk inside. Let’s go.”

_Has he forgotten that I work here?_

I stay still in the car. He speaks to me through the window now.

“Eren.”

“R-right. Sorry.”

I don’t want to burden him with having to drive around to find another coffee place, even though there’s one just a few blocks away. I step out, close the door, and pray that no one that knows me is working a shift today. Levi catches up to me, and this time, I hold the door open for him, faking a smile, as if I wasn’t scared as fuck. _What if they remind him I work here? He’s going to ask, and I’m not ready to explain…_

I step in, and I swear my veins explode, because I’m filled with a painful burning.

Sasha, Connie, Reiner, and Bertholdt are standing behind the counter.

And they wave at me.

“Are these your friends?” Levi asks.

I nod, my throat dry.

“Yeah” I croak.

“Go find us a table before everyone else comes in, it’s almost lunch hour. I’ll order us coffee. What do you want?”

I manage to tell him just a small, double-double, French vanilla coffee, and I walk slowly  around the store, feeling all their eyes on me. I find a nice table, right by the window, and sit down, trying to hide my face as much as I can by turning towards the beautiful street outside. I zone out for a while, until I hear someone start calling my name.

“Eren?”

I look up, and I see Levi, staring at me. He’s already sitting across from me, and sipping his coffee. I uncross my arms from my chest, and grab the steaming coffee placed in front of me, with a slice of strawberry cheesecake. It cheers me up a little bit.

“You didn’t have to buy me anything extra, you know”

“I didn’t want to be rude, getting one for myself and bringing none for you. Just shut up and eat it, before I decide to eat mine, and yours.”

He says it with no bite. No threat.

An airy laugh that I can hardly believe it mine pushes past my lips. I thank him, and we eat and drink in silence. I feel a lot better now, thinking that no one mentioned anything. Until;

“Your friends reminded me that you work here.”

_Shit_

I hang my head a little, and try to show him my disinterest in discussing the subject by not meeting his gaze. Either he doesn’t catch it, or he’s just extremely persistent. He realizes I’m not going to say anything, so he continues.

“Why do you still work here? I mean, it’s a nice little shop and everything, but now that you’ve been discovered for your singing, wouldn’t you just want to quit and start building up your career in singing?”

I stay silent, no longer eating, just poking at my cake with my fork.

“Or is something else? That you need extra money?”

I jump up, hitting my knee on the bottom of the table. I look him straight in the eyes, trying to hide the fact that he was right, even though I made it even more painfully obvious.  _Deny, deny, deny._

“No! Of course not.”

_I don’t want his pity. I don’t want him to know how close we are to bankruptcy, how much we depend on my singing and Mikasa career. I want him to think everything’s fine._

He raises an eyebrow.

“Eren, are you sure everything’s okay? Like at home, I mean. I’m your teacher, but you can tell me anything.”

The thought of spilling everything out to him is so tempting. Coming clean with him would just give so much relief. I open my mouth. I can do it. I really can.

But then it all wrecks in my throat. Just the thought of bringing up my mother and monster father brings tears to my eyes, and all I can do is hope he doesn’t see them. I decide I should leave before I make a fool out of myself.

“Levi, I have to go.”

 _I stand up. I’m going to run. I’m a coward. I can’t tell him. It’s too hard_. _I don’t know if he’d understand. I’m not close enough to him yet_. He catches my arm in a strong grip, and as soon as I look into his eyes, with tears threatening to spill, it loosens.

“Eren, is it something I said?”

I shake my head no. It’s not his fault he’s curious, I was acting like such a dumbass. I should’ve made an excuse. I should’ve lied-

No. I can’t lie to Levi. Where would that take us? But now is not the right time for me to tell him my life story. We’re making a scene in a coffee shop.

I pull my arm out of his hand, and he stands up too. He sighs, realizing that I was a bull and there was no way he was getting me to stay here.

“At least let me drive you home?”

I shake my head once again.

“I’ll just walk.”

I can see him about to insist, but it’s too late because I’m already past him, and out the door. I can feel my heart crack when I turn around briefly to see him watch me leave from the window. The window from the seat I had picked out. As if I had set him up, just to watch as I leave. The temptation is still there, in my bones, just turn around and walk back to him. Tell him everything. It’ll be okay.

But I knew there was no turning back now, I had already screwed up too much. So I turn the next corner, but not without hesitating, before breaking into a run towards my apartment.

 

The next few sessions are extremely awkward, which is what I expected. We share small glances, but most of the time, the floor is the apple of our eyes. The session stays so quiet one day, Hanji comes in to make sure we hadn’t killed each other. She tells us to get over our “love problems” and once she leaves, the room is just as quiet as it was before, just as quiet and eerie as it has been for the past three sessions. Even though he’s sitting across from me, I still feel alone up here, on the 12th floor.

But little did I know, the next session was going to flip our entire teacher-student relationship completely upside down.

 

I wake up, with tear stained eyes. My throat burns from screaming. I sit up and just cradle my head in my hands, letting the tears drip freely from my eyes. I wake up at 6:00 am, three hours before my lesson, and get dressed, in all black, as it’s only proper to wear all black today. I hear a soft knock on my door, and Mikasa walks in. She looks at the calendar on my wall. Circled in red is August 4th. I see the sympathy in her eyes, and she hugs me tightly. This is a routine now. But she can’t come with me, because she’s about to leave for work. She just has to leave me on this train that’s about to derail.

“Tell her I miss her too, alright?”

I nod, and pick up the large bouquet of flowers from beside the dresser. It’s filled with soft red roses and bright yellow tulips, which were her favourite, since they always grew in our little garden in the spring. We share broken smiles, and I make my way past her, and down the stairs. After I slip on my shoes, I step outside, and make a mental note that it’s another cold day. Its drizzling needle sharp rain, but I continue down the path, and down the sidewalk. Gray and black surrounds me, the only colour I see are the flowers in front of me, and the sunshine filled memories playing through my head, like an old movie. The sky must be mimicking my eyes, because when my tears start to fall a little harder, so does the icy rain from the looming clouds above. My head is pounding, and I feel a little sick. Just as always, I reach the broken chain link fence in front of the Maria Grave Yard, and I see Armin waiting for me, under the large oak tree in the middle of all the perfectly lined up tombstones. He also holds a bouquet of yellow tulips, but with a mix of pink roses and pink lilies.  He waits for me to approach him until he pulls me into a giant hug, letting me nuzzle my face into his shoulder, and feel at peace for just a fleeting moment. When we pull away, he grabs my hand, and we walk to her tombstone together. Once we reach the end of the cobblestone path, we turn right, and just by the small, new oak tree beginning to grow, her grave stands, tall and cold, but filled with her love and her soul. We sit down on the wet grass, and Armin wipes a tear away from my cheek with his thumb. I look into his eyes, today a dull blue, and he returns the stare. He smiles brokenly, and tells me quietly.

“Be strong, Eren. Be strong for her.”

I nod, choking on a sob caught in my throat, and biting my lip as the tears push past my eyelid barriers again. I tear my gaze away from him, and stare at the grave stone. I still dread reading the name etched into stone, because it shouldn’t be here. Not yet. I place the bouquet in the small flower box, and Armin mimics me. We sit in silence, and I take a shaky breath. Words escape me; I have no idea where to start. So I just start like I do every year. I feel the words, like broken glass, scratching up my throat, and slicing my tongue. I let them spill over my lips, cutting them raw, and following them with another ugly sob.

“Hi, Mom.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've decided that i will mostly be writing in Erens perspective because I feel like i can relate to him and how he feels/acts more than i can relate to Levi, but keep an eye out for those extra perspectives!
> 
> Thank you to all my readers for being so patient! You don't know how much it means to me when I see comments, hits, and kudos. 
> 
> Love you all, and as always, i hope you enjoyed!

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me if I should continue, give advice, or if I should just stop writing in general. Is it too long? Too short? Help DX  
> Thank you :)


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